Disney has ventured out to the Pacific Islands before with Lilo & Stitch, but without the princess storyline. Moana can be viewed in the same vein as Frozen or Brave, with the daughter of the king (or in this case, the village chief) as the driving force of the story. The creators of Moana researched the Oceanic islands extensively, and consulted with people of the region to ensure that they get the portrayal of Polynesian culture right.

Moana has an inexplicably strong and deep connection with the ocean, and she’s frequently drawn towards it despite warnings from her father not to venture out into the deep. Her connection with the water symbolises the Polynesian people’s own history as Wayfinders, people who traverse the ocean and live off it.

She’s land bound, but that doesn’t stop her from trying to uncover her people’s past and get to the heart of the mystery regarding her father’s fear of the water. Her boldness, you may say, launches her into her destiny and shows just how brave this young heroine is.

One might even say she’s an anti-princess. Her story doesn’t include a love interest, or a castle, or fancy balls and frilly gowns. Moana’s main wardrobe consists of traditional tapa top and pandanus skirt that’s perfect for the adventurous young woman to run, jump and most importantly, sail in.

Whether it’s being tossed out of the boat by Maui, the demigod whom she seeks to help her in her mission, getting attacked by enemies or not being able to sail, Moana’s determined and resolved spirit keeps her going. She bounces back everytime, with some help from her ocean friend!

16-year-old Auli’i Cravalho, from Hawaii, is the voice that brings Moana to life. It’s the teenager’s first feature film and she also sings in the movie, including Moana’s theme song, “How Far I’ll Go”. The casting directors auditioned hundreds of young women before finally choosing Auli’i, who was the final applicant they met.

Even for her dumb pet rooster, Hei Hei, who brings some of the biggest laughs in the film. It’s her love for her people and family that propel her towards the ocean to save them, even though she risks losing her life and has to be away from her loving parents.

When she meets Maui, the demigod of the ocean (voiced by Dwayne Johnson), she quickly realises that he’s not all that she expected him to be. But she clung on to hope and tries to help him regain his identity and courage. She’s nurturing and kind, even when he isn’t, which makes their friendship incredible to watch.

No, she’s not going to wait around for someone to save her – in fact, Moana does a lot of the saving in this movie. She’s quick-thinking and can wield a weapon to defend and protect herself, as seen in the above gif, and we love her for being a strong female lead, especially for young girls!

She doesn’t take nonsense lightly, and fights for the things that matter deeply to her. We love seeing her grow into her destiny and gain more courage along the way, especially in her friendship with Maui.

Make sure to catch Moana as it’s showing in cinemas islandwide now!

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Text: Elizabeth Liew
Gifs from Giphy
Main image from Disney